Guns, Murder, Mayhem Oh Mai
by Ishval
Summary: Mai's in trouble again. She's in danger and the ghost hunt gang who are now spies are trying to save her from someone only known as The Ethiopian. Inspired by a story by SnaveJ. This is a revamped version of the original 13 chapter story I put up months ago. I made some changes to it. If you want to know why read my profile. AU
Luella and Martin Davis conversed quietly in the study. "Do you really think it's time to activate their special status now?" Luella wrung her hands as if she were washing them, ridding them of any imagined dirt or debris that may have stained them.

"Luella dear, please don't fret," Martin nodded to a nearby chair for her to take a seat. "They've been trained ever since they showed an aptitude for this work. So don't worry."

They both looked up at the sounds of footfalls coming towards Martin's home office where he conducted most of his work away from his business office. He held a file that he wanted the boys to read which was marked Amber to keep it from inquisitive eyes. He looked up as Eugene and Oliver entered the room followed by Lin Koujo.

"Ah, boys please sit down," he motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. "Boys, in three days you will be boarding a plane bound for Japan. There the two of you will enroll in this high school as transfer students." He passed Eugene a slip of paper.

"Does this mean we are finally being activated for a mission?" Eugene found it hard to suppress the building excitement at this moment and sat on the edge of his chair hoping beyond hope.

"Why," Oliver glared at his father. "You know I can't read Kanji well."

Luella turned to her youngest son, "You do realize that most things now in Japan are labeled not only in Kanji, but Hiragana, and English."

He shot both his parents a glare, as he focused on his father.

"We have reason to believe this girl," Martin passed the file folder that was tabbed an amber color to Oliver. He studied the picture intently of a girl about 15 years of age dressed in a sailor type of school uniform with short reddish brown hair the color of cinnamon. A smile tugged at her lips that matched the light in her big reddish brown eyes.

"As I was saying, we believe she's being targeted by certain terrorist cells who want her deceased father's secrets."

Luella rose from her chair and leaned up against her husband's desk. "You see her dad was a top notch weapon's engineer. He developed several designs that are still in use today with both MI-5 and the United States CIA. Our government lost all contact with his lab ten years ago so we thought he had gone underground. However, that was not the case. Instead, he was killed by one of those terrorist cells seeking his weapon designs."

Martin nodded as he took up the narration from that point. "Her mother did not possess any mechanical skills. She passed away from an illness two years ago leaving their only child an orphan."

"Sir," Lin chose that moment to speak. "If I may be so bold to ask if we lost all contact with Taniyama's father how do you know so much now."

Martin nodded, "Good question Lin. We were approached by the Japanese Secret Intelligence Agency. They received a copy of Mr. Taniyama's will in the mail recently. In the document, he stated that his designs were hidden in a secret location, but he never specified where that location was. However, it was hinted that if his designs were found he wanted them handed over to MI-5, the Japanese Secret Intelligence Agency also known as Section 9 and the United States to accelerate all these agencies fight in the war on terror.

"We have no idea what he could have done with his research, so we want you two to enroll as students and befriend Miss Taniyama. Keep her safe from harm and find her father's work. She may unknowingly know where it is. Lin will be accompanying you as your guardians since you are both underage."

Eugene's blueish gray eyes twinkled as he leaned forward. Martin sighed knowing what would come out of the oldest of the pair of identical twins mouth. "No we don't have any new experimental weapons for you to try out, and you're not the fictional James Bond and no your mother isn't Miss Moneypenny.

"However the higher ups have approved this mission, along with body armor, the standard issued weapons you both will be trying out our new bullet proof jackets."

He pulled open a drawer and pulled out their new ID's, passports, and several other official looking documents that would get the trio into Japan without a hassle through Japanese immigration checkpoints and security. "Study that file until you know it by heart, and when you arrive in Tokyo, you need to check in with Hosho Takigawa of Japanese Intelligence."

Luella smiled as she motioned for both of her sons to stand. She hugged them both, "be careful you two."

Oliver hugged her back. Eugene gave the woman a giant hug. "Don't worry mother, we'll be fine."

As the twins exited the room, Martin called out to Lin. "Will you be okay with this case, I know of your dislike for the Japanese."

Lin nodded, "I will be able to perform my duties. However, we know how reckless Eugene can be especially with his fantasies of being 007."

Martin chuckled, "I believe you'll be able to keep him in line, but Oliver will be there too so I really don't expect too many problems."

"Permission to speak freely, sir," Lin asked.

"Granted," Martin leaned back in his chair wondering what was on the man's mind.

"Did you that the Ethiopian has reared his head again?"

"No, I hadn't heard about it," Martin frowned at this knowledge. The Ethiopian was a wanted terrorist with ties to several terrorist organizations for crimes of gun running, kidnapping and several assassinations of government officials around the world."

Lin frowned, no one had even caught a glimpse of this ghost all they knew of him was his crimes. "A report came across my desk this morning. The chatter is he's in Japan."

A gasp came from Luella as realization sunk in, "He must be after the Taniyama girl."

Martin picked up his phone, "I'll call Takigawa and see if he can't get a protection detail on the girl immediately."

The alarm sounded and Mai rolled over to slap the noisemaker. However, she missed and rolled off the futon bed landing on her face. "Ow," she cried out as she slowly rose and glared at the offending timepiece. "That's going to leave a mark," she whined to herself as she pulled herself up and rolled up her futon and slid it away in her small efficiency sized apartment.

She climbed into the shower and turned the water on, and the cold water caused her to let out a shriek until the water began to warm up. Quickly finishing her shower, she hurriedly dressed and managed a glance at the small clock on her small kitchenette counter where the little stove sat next to.

"Oh no, I'm going to be late again," she cried to herself as she grabbed her bento box that she prepared the night before. She raced for the door and grabbing her backpack she stuffed the bento box inside, threw the door open, and pulled it close behind her hearing the lock click. She raced down the hall nearly running headfirst into her landlady.

The older woman barely moved out of the way. "You know if you'd just set your time up like I've told you before you'd be able to get up on time and not have to rush like this every day."

Mai smiled and waved as she turned avoiding the inevitable collision, "I know," she gasped as she finished the mid run turn and ran down the hallway to the stairs and slid down the banister to the first floor and raced out onto the street.

Mai's landlord shook her head as the girl disappeared down the street, "They should make that an Olympic event. She'd win every time."

Takigawa sat behind his desk as he stared at one of his younger operatives. "You've read the file that I faxed you last night?"

"Yes I have, but if I may ask sir, what is so special about this girl? She seems so ordinary. Minus the fact that both her parents are deceased making her an orphan, shouldn't she be sent to an orphanage instead?"

"No, we need her as much as England and the United States need her father's work. She may know some of his secrets that might be buried because she doesn't think their important."

The young girl sighed, "So we have to protect this girl until the agents get here from MI5?"

Takigawa nodded, his tawny hair moved with the movement. "Exactly, and I want you to befriend her Miss Hara. This is a top priority mission. Do you think you're up to the task?"

"Yes, but one more question. Why the immediacy of a bodyguard, usually we just shadow the target and protect them from afar," a hint of confusion swam in her violet-hued eyes.

"I received a report. The Ethiopian is making his presence known again in Japan. I hoped to spare you of this problem," Takigawa's brown eyes showed his sincerity. "It's believed he's going after the girl."

Masako nodded as her hands doubled up into fists, and she grits her teeth as she clamped her jaws together and her lips drew into a thin line. Silently she calmed herself and regained her composure. "If he makes a move I'll take him down, I promise." She hated this person. No one knew if he was really a man or a woman, but during a past mission, that her father was on this assassin killed him while her father was protecting the Prime Minister.

Takigawa nodded again, "Please don't take any unnecessary measures that may cause either your death or Miss Taniyama's."

"Yes sir," Masako rose from her seat and saluted. She spun on her heel and stepped out of his office.

A crooked smile crossed Takigawa's face as his eyes followed the girls' petite frame as she exited his office. "She always knows when she's dismissed." He sighed as a small frown crossed his face as he placed his elbow on his desk and planted his jaw in the palm of his hand. He closed his eyes and sat up, "best get this over with. Yasuhara," he bellowed.

Mai ran until she reached the sakura tree that she always met up with her friends at by the dilapidated old building that used to be used by her school. She bent over as she took several deeps breaths to try calming her breathing down hoping against hope that her friends wouldn't notice she was running late again.

She heard voices approaching and she quickly ran her fingers through her short hair hoping they wouldn't notice.

"Mai," Keiko and Michiru both called at once.

"Hey guys," she waved at the two approaching girls.

Michiru looked over her shoulder to make sure nobody was listening and then over to the two girls. "Did you hear we're getting a new transfer student into our class today?"

"Really?" Mai asked as her eyes blinked.

Michiru nodded, "really, but I have no idea if it's a girl or not."

Keiko giggled, "I hope it's a really hot guy. The guys in our class are pretty boring."

"That's not all, I heard here in two more days we're getting two more transfer students."

"Wouldn't it be something if all three were hot guys," Keiko squealed.

"Well, I get to listen to some conversations while I'm helping out in the office," Michiru replied with a smile on her face. "Also, the principal wants to get rid of the old school house and a have a new gym built in its place."

Mai shivered as she glanced at the creepy place. "I wish they would get rid of it, it gives me goosebumps."

Keiko grabbed Mai's hand and Michiru's hand and pulled, "Come on you two. I want to see who our new transfer student is."

"Okay, okay, quit pulling Keiko," Mai begged as she was dragged across the schoolyard.

The three girls entered their classroom and took their seats as other students filed into the classroom. A few minutes after everyone was seated as his or her teacher entered with a new student. "Class, I'd like you to meet Miss Masako Hara."

"Dang," Keiko muttered under her breath, "Another girl."

Mai looked up at the girl who resembled a Japanese doll with her petite frame draped in a kimono. Her delicate facial features gave her a natural beauty and her unusual violet eyes added to the girls allure.

The girl turned to the teacher, "Thank you Miss Kagurazaka," she glanced around for an empty desk and found one next to the girl she was to protect. Her eyes flickered over all the students as she mentally performed a threat assessment. Her movements were just as graceful as her looks as she took the seat next to the Taniyama girl. However, she didn't like the idea of the girl sitting next to the window. She'd have to bring this up with Takigawa later when she gave him the days report.

Oliver glanced over at Eugene as irritation crossed his features. "Father said we were both supposed to read this file, not play video games."

Eugene shrugged as he moved his controller so his avatar entered the room to mow down the evil terrorists with his submachine gun. "Why bother, you've got the photographic memory for all these details. I'll just follow your lead."

A frown crossed the younger of the twins face as he rose from his seat and silently strode across the the room pulling the electrical cord from the socket that led to his brother's game system.

Eugene stood as he dropped his controller to the floor and purposefully strode over to his brother and grabbed him by the collar. "Why do you always have to ruin my fun?"

Oliver reached up and forcefully removed his brother's hands from his shirt, "Because this is our first mission and you need to be prepared." Oliver smirked as a thought struck him. "Do you think 007 would go out into the field unprepared?"

"He'd never do such a thing."

Oliver strode back over to the couch where he'd left the file, picked it up, and shoved it into his brother's hands. "Then you need to read this and commit it to memory."

Eugene took the file and cradled it as if it were the Holy Grail and stepped over to the couch, and sat down and opened the file gazing down on the face of one Mai Taniyama. "I think I'll ask her to be my Bond girl."

Oliver sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Do that and she may slap you."

"You really think she would?"

Oliver nodded as he closed his eyes with a little smirk on his face. "Madoka did that to you earlier today when you asked her trying to sound as suave as Sean Connery would."

"Why bring that up now?" Eugene pouted as he began to read the file.

"Because sometimes you're an idiot," he deadpanned.

Eugene stuck his bottom lip out as he pouted and continued to read the file. Which he thanked all the gods there really wasn't a whole lot to the file itself.

Martin entered the family room finding both his sons sitting at opposite ends of the couch. He knew what that meant they'd had another fight.

"Boys, are you both packed and ready to go?"

Both answered at the same time, "Yes we are."

"Good, I'm advancing your travel plans," he held out two tickets to his sons. "You leave tonight."

Oliver stood and reached out taking both the tickets from his father's hands. "Why the sudden rush?" he asked as he cocked his head to one side.

"I'm not going to mince words here so you both need to pay attention. An assassin's targeting Miss Taniyama. No one has ever seen his face, and he goes by the name of The Ethiopian. I want the two of you to be extra cautious here, and watch each other's backs."

"Don't worry father, we will," Oliver replied as he handed Eugene his boarding pass.

"Lin's waiting for you two outside in the car. For your mother's sake come back safely."

Eugene had a cocky smile adorning his face as he spoke as 007, "It'll be a piece of cake."

The twins strode out of the room as Martin glanced at their retreating backs. "I hope your right," he whispered.

Ayako sat in the recliner enjoying the heat of the soft, warm sun whose rays bathed her body in a bright glow. Her red string bikini showed off her curves in all the right places. She sighed in happiness as the waves of the ocean lapped at the sand of the beach she sat on. She ignored the sounds of the other people playing on the beach.

She flipped her red tresses back as she noticed a guy paying particular attention to her, and she winked his way. He began to make his way towards her as her cellphone started to ring. Looking down at it, she saw the number. "What does he want now?" she grumbled as she pressed a button to accept the call. She put the phone to her ear, "This had better be important because you're interrupting my vacation."

"I'm truly sorry, Ayako. You earned that vacation the hard way, but I have to cancel it as of now."

Her face screwed up in anger as she rose from her seat on the reclined lounge chair. "What do you mean it's canceled? I've got another week coming, and I was finally going to meet a gorgeous guy."

"Look we have a case that requires your skills at infiltration, so I need you to return at once."

She lifted her body from the recliner and stood as she began to pace beside the recliner. "Takigawa, I swear…" her voice began to rise in pitch and volume. "You know there are other agents there who can take my place."

"I know but they don't have your skillset. I need you to return to the home office immediately so I can read you in on this case."

"Ugh," she pulled the phone away and screamed in anger not caring how many people looked her way. It took her several minutes of pacing and the use of some colorful language before she could calm down. "Fine, I'll be there by this afternoon. I have to go pack and check out of the hotel." She hit the end call button and smirked in slight satisfaction as she pulled her see through wrap around her body and tied the belt around her waist. Picking up her bag with her personal belongings she stuffed her cell phone inside and stomped across the sand as she made her way to the hotel.

John Brown sat behind his desk at the office of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. Being Australian, he'd dealt with a few of the jokes about his accent also some of the agents looked at him as being green because of his tender age of nineteen. However, he'd proved himself good at this job.

His desk phone buzzed. He noted it was the director himself calling as the button blinked. There was also a ping on his computer drawing his attention to the screen. He noticed a new email sat in his inbox. He picked up the receiver of the phone and pressed the blinking button. He felt like standing but remained seated at his desk.

"Hello, director."

"Agent Brown," the masculine voice replied over the phone. "I'm assigning you to a new case. All the information is sitting in your email. After reading, make a copy of the case file, then use the internet scrubber, and destroy the email. Your itinerary and flight number are included, all you need to do is pick up a boarding pass at the Kiosk at the airport. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir I do," the soft-spoken young man replied.

"Very well, good day," the masculine voice replied as dead air reached the young Aussies ear. He placed the receiver back into its cradle.

The young blond haired man opened his email and read all the particulars of the case. He felt sorry for Mai Taniyama and the circumstances surrounding how she'd lost her parents but when he caught the name of the assassin, his breath caught in his throat as his blue eyes grew in shock and remembered the pain. He wanted to take that person down. The man had killed a friend of his in an attack on a Senator, who wanted terrorists taken out from all over the world. He felt his resolve grow inside his being as he made the hard copies and activated the cleaning program to wipe the email from his office account. Rising from his seat, he shut down his terminal and stalked down the corridor. His blue eyes were aglow with anticipation. He'd always wanted to go to Japan, and now he had his chance as he hoped his lessons would pay off.

The figure sat in the dark as fingers connected a device to a phone. Dialing a number the person waited for the call to be picked up.

"Yo," a voice called out from the receiver.

"Is this Eiji Tatsuo leader of the Black Dogs?"

"So what if it is," replied the Black Dog leader. "Who are you?"

"You can call me The Ethiopian. I require the services of your gang and will pay you a million yen for each of your gang members along with five million for your services."

Coughing came from the other end. "Are you really going to pay twenty million yen?"

"Yes, I am."

"So, what do you want from me?" Curiosity tinged Eiji's voice.

"There's a high school girl, the name of Mai Taniyama. I don't want her hurt, but I want you to harass her and wear her down. She needs to learn that no matter where she goes eyes will be watching. Do you understand?"

"Sure," a hint of humor colored the man's voice. "So what does she look like?"

The Ethiopian hit a button on the cell phone. "I've just sent you her picture. Don't bother calling me back I will contact you if I need to send you further information."

The school bell rang announcing the end of classes. As Mai rose from her desk, Michiru and Keiko moved over to her. "Hey Mai, want to go tell ghost stories today?" Keiko asked.

"I'd love to, but I can't. I have to go to the library and find a book for that assignment Miss Kagurazaka gave us." The reddish brown haired girl replied as her face fell. "Why does she have to give us jobs like the money system in the United States? I mean really, I'll probably never get to see another country."

Masako overhearing the girl's statement snorted, "You never know what may happen in the future. As I understand it most colleges now days require that a semester is taken in a foreign country."

Mai's eyes grew as she turned to face the new student who wore the kimono, "Really? I didn't know that."

Masako nodded as her short dark hair floated around her face. "Yes, it is a known fact. So Miss Kagurazaka is only trying to prepare you for the future."

"Uhm… Is it okay if I call you Masako?" Mai didn't want to overstep her bounds, especially with the new girl.

"Yes, you may."

"How do you know about studying in foreign countries," Mai asked as she blinked.

"My brother is studying in America."

A wistful smile spread across Mai's face, "That sounds so cool."

Michiru glanced at the wall clock, "We need to hurry, and I have to get home soon so I can babysit my little brother for mom."

Two planes touched down at Tokyo's Narita International Airport. One carried the two Davis twins with their guardian Lin Koujo. The other brought CIA agent John Brown.

After each interested party showed passports, ID's and paperwork that got them all cleared. The two sides hailed cab's and set off for their destination, checking in with Director Takigawa of Section 9.

Takigawa surveyed the faces seated in his office three from England's MI5, one from the CIA, and three from his own agency. His eyes centered on the blond-haired blue-eyed boy that sat in the middle. "You're John Brown from the America's CIA. Aren't you a little young to be in that agency."

John shrugged his shoulders, "I passed the tests to become an agent after I was made a naturalized citizen."

At the sound of his Australian accent combined with the Japanese words, a couple of snickers of suppressed laughter were heard coming from two of Takigawa's agents. He even had trouble with trying to keep a straight face.

After gaining control, he glared at his two jokesters in the room one Ayako Matsuzaki and Osamu Yasuhara. He shifted his gaze to the group from England. "I understand that you two," he directed his comment to Eugene and Oliver, "Will be using cover identities."

Oliver nodded as Eugene spoke, "I'm Kazuhiro Shibuya, and this is my younger brother Kazuya."

Oliver rolled his eyes as he muttered under his breath, "Only by five minutes." He proceeded to take in the Japanese director who had longish tawny hair pulled back into a ponytail, and wore regular street clothes. He'd save his opinion on how this group worked after the mission was over. A slight frown lined his face as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Lin noticed the attention to him, "I am Lin Koujo, I'm acting as their guardian, and I'm also an electronic surveillance specialist."

Takigawa nodded and then motioned to his own subordinates, "These are the cream of the crop here at Section 9. Masako Hara, she specializes in throwing knives, Osamu Yasuhara, who will be acting as Miss Hara's backup, and Ayako Matsuzaki, who will begin working undercover at Mai's school tomorrow.

"I'm sure that Mr. Brown and the MI5 people are tired, so please allow me to offer you one of our safe houses as a base of operations. It's pretty close to Miss Taniyama's apartment building." He held out both a key and a map with directions on how to get to the safe house to Lin.

Lin took the key and map from the director of Section 9. As Ayako erupted in anger and jumped up out of her seat. "Why do I have to work in the school with a bunch of snot-nosed brats? Is this why you wanted me back so soon?"

Takigawa slammed his hand down on his desk as it rang out getting everyone's attention. He clenched his jaw and ground his teeth together. When he spoke again, the words were full of anger. "Miss Matsuzaki you forget, you are my subordinate, and as such you need to remember your place. This is important, and I need you in the school."

"Fine," she took her seat as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Masako took this chance now to speak, "Sir, I did a threat assessment of the Taniyama girl's classroom today. At this moment, I request that her seat is moved since they have her sitting next to a window. It would be more advantageous to place her towards the back of the classroom and away from the window. I should be sitting in front of her and I'm assuming the twins will be in her classroom as well. They should be flanking her on each side in case of trouble."

Takigawa nodded as Oliver chose that moment to speak "Sounds logical."

Takigawa held up another set of keys. "Section 9 will be loaning you the use of one of our vans. If you're in need of anything else, please let me know. I have to call Miss Taniyama's school and get these steps in motion. Osamu, please show our country's guests to the parking garage."

Lin drove the van through the streets of Tokyo as Eugene sat in the passenger seat navigating. John dozed in the seat behind Lin while Oliver scanned the streets for any sign of trouble.

Mai exited the library and began her long walk home. Her mind was filled with abstract things like how many pennies it took to make and nickel and other such facts. They made her head hurt. As she walked closer to her apartment building, she heard a noise from behind her. She turned to see a mean looking man staring at her. "Hey, little girl want to have some fun?"

Her eyes grew as fear settled in her stomach. "No—"

"Aww, I think you might," the man approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"No… No, I need to get home. My mother will be worried," her eyes searched for someone who might help.

She turned as she shook the man's hand off her shoulder and took a step to run, but she bumped into another man. "I think you didn't hear my friend. So why don't we go to his place and we'll have a geat time," his eyes narrowed as he leaned forward and licked his lips in a suggestive manner.

She ducked and managed to squeeze her way out from between the two and broke into a run to make her escape, only she could hear both men gaining on her.

As Lin pulled down a street, Oliver noticed a girl not just any girl but the Taniyama girl running with a mixture of panic and fear on her face. "Lin stop," he yelled as he yanked open the van door before it came to a complete stop. He jumped out with Eugene and John quick on his heels.

Oliver veered off towards Mai while Eugene and John both tackled the two men as a fistfight ensued with the men.

Oliver caught her and she tried to shake him off as a scream erupted from her. "Let me go, let me go," she cried as tears erupted from her eyes.

He held her by the arms, "It's okay, you're safe. My friends stopped those men."

Mai actually looked up at the face of the person who stopped her running. She was awed by his striking good looks, long eyelashes any girl would die for, silky looking raven hair, and those eyes that she found herself falling into two bright pools of blue with violet flakes that sparkled in the fading sunlight.

"Are you okay now?" he asked.

She swallowed hard and nodded as she blushed. "Yes… thank you for helping me."

Oliver smirked as he wiped her tears away. "That's good. We can give you a lift home."

Mai shook her head and took a step back from Oliver as she waved her hands in front of her, "Oh no I couldn't let you do that I'm just a couple of blocks away from my apartment building."

"It's okay, it's on our way."

"Are you sure?"

At that moment, John and Eugene appeared on either side of Oliver. Eugene threw his arm over Oliver's shoulder, "Of course he's sure, now come on," a huge grin broke on Gene's face as he glanced in between Mai and Oliver.

After dropping Mai off at her apartment building Lin maneuvered, the van in the driveway of the safe house about a half a block from Mai's building. All four got out of the vehicle while Lin walked around back and opened a rather large looking case that held his tools of the trade. Skimming over the different devices and cameras, he pulled out one that easily fit into his hand. Turning it on he quickly scanned it over the inside and outside of the van and nodded to himself.

"The vans clean no GPS trackers. Now I'll sweep the house for bugs." He strode over to the house and unlocked the door, within a half an hour of entering he returned and placed a finger to his lips as he proceeded to dump the devices he'd found in the garbage can. He put the lid on the trash can. "The house is now bug-free, so we can conduct our conversations inside."

Eugene switched to his 007 persona, "You're efficient as ever, Lin."

John glanced at Oliver, "What's with your brother?"

Oliver sighed, "He thinks he's James Bond at times if he gets too annoying just give him a smack on the back of the head."

"I heard that," Eugene huffed in mock anger as a sly smile slid on his face as he and the others pulled their luggage out of the van. "Kazuya's in love with Miss Taniyama," he chortled with laughter as he raced for the house.

Oliver glared in the direction that his brother took. "I am not," he muttered.

Both John and Lin shared a chuckle as the pair followed Oliver into the house.

Mai, Keiko, and Michiru stepped into their classroom to find their teacher waiting for them. "Mai, I'm moving your seat."

"Huh… Did I do something wrong?" The fifteen-year-old asked as confusion swam in her eyes.

"No, you didn't Mai. We've got two new transfer students coming in today and I was thinking of seating you with them especially since you and Miss Hara are getting along so well."

Miss Kagurazaka led Mai to a seat in the back of the room. "This will be your new seat."

A disembodied voice came out of the speaker in the classroom, "Miss Kagurazaka your two new transfer students are here."

"Okay I need to get those two when the people who sit in these other desks come in," she indicated the one in front of the girl and the two on either side of her, "tell them they're being moved."

Mai nodded as the teacher strode towards the doorway and stepped out of the classroom into the hallway.

Shinji Soto, who sat at the desk where Mai sat entered and spotted her. He glared at the girl, "Taniyama move."

"I can't do that Miss Kagurazaka told me to sit here."

He reached out and put his hands on Mai's arm as he began to pull. "Look, I'm in no mood for jokes, now move," the boy pulled Mai harder as she struggled to get out of his grip.

Keiko raced over to the boy, "Shinji, it's not a joke. Miss Kagurazaka did move Mai there."

It only took the teacher a few minutes to retrieve the new students and return to find another student manhandling the Taniyama girl. "Shinji," she shouted to get his attention. "You're in Taniyama's seat."

The rude boy shot Mai a glare as he moved over to his new seat.

Mai noticed the two transfer students were the same two boys who helped her out the day before. "No way," she whispered to herself.

Masako entered the room followed by other students and made her way down the aisle to the seat in front of her charge. "Mai," Masako greeted as she took her seat.

"Good morning, Masako."

As the last of the students filed in, "Class I'd like to introduce our two transfer students, Kazuhiro, and Kazuya Shibuya."

Keiko leaned up to Michiru, "Two hotties," she whispered to her friend.

"I have eyes," Michiru whispered back.

"Identical twins," Keiko caught herself as she nearly squealed and pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Their teacher pointed out Mai to the boys, "You two are on either side of Miss Taniyama."

They nodded as they made their way to their seats. Mai's mouth hung open as she gaped at the twins. "You two were the one who helped me yesterday."

Kazuya nodded as Kazuhiro smiled at her.

Lin sat at his laptop as finished setting up some forged documents to complete the work order he had in mind. As they printed up, he rose from his seat and moved over to his case filled with his electronic toys. He quickly picked several out of the case.

"John, would you mind watching everything. I'm going over to Miss Taniyama's and set up our surveillance net."

"No problem mate," John smiled as Lin left the house and decided to walk the distance to Mai's building.

Mai sat under the sakura tree where she usually shared her lunch with Keiko and Michiru. Today was different since Masako, Eugene, and Oliver joined them.

Eugene with a glint of mischief in his eyes glanced at the other girls. "I don't believe we've met." He stood from the spot he was sitting at and in his best 007 voice, "Shibuya, Kazuhiro Shibuya."

Keiko and Michiru both squealed in excitement as Oliver rolled his eyes, and sighed as Masako snorted and her eyes constantly sought out villains who may be in hiding somewhere.

Mai shuddered as she felt prickles on the back of her neck that told her she was being watched.

Oliver noticed and he leaned over to her, "Are you okay."

Mai nodded, "I'm fine," she lied as thoughts of how he and his brother had saved her. She stared off into space for a bit as if contemplating something. A reddish tinge colored her cheeks as she ducked her head down and peeked at him through the fringe of her bangs. "I want to thank you and your brother again for saving me yesterday."

Oliver smirked slightly, "It was nothing."

Masako ears perked up at the information and she decided to pay attention in case it would reveal some useful information.

As the pair continued to talk, Eugene sneaked a glance at how chummy his brother was becoming with Mai. A small smile crossed his face. He turned to face Keiko and Michiru again. "So who would like to be my Bond girl?"

Both girls squealed with excitement as Masako snorted again and rolled her eyes.

Lin climbed the stairs heading to Mai's apartment when he noticed an older lady approaching him. "Hello," she spoke pleasantly however her eyes were cold. "Are you here to visit someone or looking to rent?"

Lin bowed in greeting, "Neither. I'm here from the Department of Public Safety. As you know we monitor all the smoke detectors and have noticed a problem with one," he paused as he made the appearance to search for a name, "one Mai Taniyama."

The woman glanced at him suspiciously, as he handed over the paperwork. She took it and perused the paper. "I see everything seems to be in order. I'll let you into her apartment."

"Thank you," he replied as he followed the woman who allowed him into the girl's apartment.

"When you go to leave just close the door, it's a spring lock."

He nodded as he entered the room, which was a one room with a bathroom. He glanced around the sparsely decorated room. He glanced up at the ceiling and noticed the smoke detector. He nodded that the cover was similar to the one he had. He reached up and unscrewed the cover. He quickly installed the mini video camera and the audio camera and replaced the cover with his own.

Moving about the room, he noted the windows and sighed, "Wouldn't keep out a determined attacker."

With efficient movements, he placed some very tiny alarms on the windows and one on the door. Pulling out his phone, he set in an alarm code and emailed it to his laptop. He would arm the system when he returned to the safe house.

He moved over to the phone, unscrewed the mouthpiece on the receiver, and quickly inserted the audio bug that would relay to his laptop every call Mai made or received. He screwed the mouthpiece back into place and sat it back into its cradle. Checking his watch, Lin nodded to himself, replaced his tools back into the case, and exited the apartment. As he descended the stairs, he noticed the landlady standing at the bottom.

The woman turned toward him, "All finished?"

"Yes, Ma'am I'll be leaving now."

"I hope you didn't go through her things, she'll be upset with me to know I allowed someone to invade her privacy."

"Not to worry, I'm not the prying type." He quickly strode out onto the sidewalk in the direction of the safe house.

Oliver and Eugene stepped into the safe house from their first day at Mai's school. Eugene called out, "Hi honey, I'm home."

Oliver rolled his eyes at his brother. "Can't you take anything seriously for once?"

"Oh, you mean like you and Mai all snuggled up under the sakura tree."

"We were not snuggled up, we were just talking."

Eugene let out a laugh as he raced up the stairs to the room he was sharing with his brother.

Lin who silently witnessed the entire conversation cleared his throat. "What did he mean?"

Oliver sighed, "Nothing. Our orders were to befriend Mai, and that's what I'm doing while he's busy making the other school girls swoon over his 007 impersonations. He had the gall to ask two of her friends if they'd be his Bond girl."

Lin chuckled a moment as he turned to his laptop. "I entered Miss Taniyama's apartment and set up a surveillance system. I also installed an alarm system that will alert us if anyone tries to break in."

Oliver nodded as he climbed the stairs to give Gene a piece of his mind.

Mai entered her apartment and set her backpack down by her small couch. She walked over to the slim sized refrigerator and pulled out some ingredients to make her dinner. Placing them on the counter, she threw some rice into the rice cooker and started the machine when her phone rang.

Stepping over to it, she picked up the receiver. "Hello," she spoke into the mouthpiece and heard nothing just dead air as if someone was listening. Then she heard a click. She shrugged her shoulders, "Must have been a wrong number." She went back to her preparations for dinner.

She poured some olive oil into the wok and as it heated she swirled the wok around coating the sides like her mother taught her and then threw in the vegetables, and when it was almost done she added the rice to the mixture. She wanted some meat but frowned not finding any. She placed half on her plate and the rest she put into her bento box for lunch tomorrow.

As the night wore on she tried to do her homework but the frequency of calls began to rise. The silence was unnerving, but it all changed when around midnight she received another call, "Hello?"

She heard male laughter on the other end. "Do you really think this is funny?"

She was answered by a breathy, "Yes it is. Come out and play little girl."

She knew the voice as she slammed down the receiver. She trembled as she wrapped her arms around her. It was that man from yesterday. How did he find out where she lived? Tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm supposed to be safe," she whispered to herself. The phone began to ring again. She picked up the receiver and slammed it down again. Cautiously she moved over to the wall and unplugged the phone.

She hoped she'd meet up with the two boys from her school, Kazuya, and Kazuhiro.

She pulled out her futon and lay down as she pulled the blanket up around her shoulders. She trembled as she tried to sleep, but she lay awake all night hoping the guy didn't try to force his way into her apartment.

Oliver and Eugene went about their morning ritual of getting ready for school. As they dressed and descended the stairs, Lin called out to them. "We've had a development. It seems from what the audio and video caught along with the phone calls one of the two men you tangled with has Miss Taniyama's phone number and is harassing her. It reached a point where she did not sleep at all."

Oliver stepped up to Lin, "Replay the footage of the last phone call."

Lin did as Oliver asked and both he and Gene shared glances as they heard what the man said, but Lin had to turn up the volume to hear what Mai whispered to herself.

Oliver turned to Gene, "Do you remember what those two looked like?"

Gene stared at his brother, "You're the one with the photographic memory, not me. It all happened so fast I don't remember."

Oliver turned to John, "Do you remember?"

"I think so mate," John spoke as he glanced at the ceiling remembering the fight. "I believe they were wearing gang colors."

Oliver nodded, "If we can identify the gang colors we can find out who's behind the harassment. However," he paused as he crossed his arms over his chest, "This seems too much of concentrated effort so there has to be someone else behind it."

Lin glanced up at Oliver, "Do you think this is the work of the Ethiopian?"

"Yes, I do." Uncrossing his arms, he looked at Lin, "Contact Takigawa and see what kind of information he has on gangs working in this area."

Lin nodded and looked at the twins. "Do you want me to drive you to school or are you going to walk."

Oliver looked at his brother, "I think we'll walk. We may meet up with Mai along the way."

Oliver and Gene stepped over to a cabinet where they pulled out two weapon cases. Opening them, the twins pulled out two small hand sized stun guns, pulled out two slim knives, and pocketed each in their school uniforms.

They closed the cases and replaced them inside the cabinet. Oliver turned to Lin, "Better to play this safe."

Lin nodded as he silently agreed.

Mai stuck her head out of her door and cautiously glanced both ways before stepping out her door. She slowly walked down the hall and descended the stairs to the bottom floor of her building. As Mai stepped onto the sidewalk, she saw two figures approaching her. She released a sigh of relief as she saw that it was the twins Kazuya and Kazuhiro.

As the twins approached, they seemed to be in a serious conversation, by their expressions. "Hi, can… can I walk to school with you two?" She hoped the fear she was feeling deep down didn't show. She didn't want to drag these two nice boys into her problems.

Gene smiled Mai, "The more, the merrier I always say."

"You say some stupid stuff, Kazuhiro," Oliver replied then turned and smiled slightly at Mai. "Sure you can."

Pink tinged her cheeks, "Thank you." She fell in step in between both the boys who shortened their stride to accommodate her smaller frame. She felt safe being with both of these boys from her class.

Unknown to her as the trio walked in silence both boys were scanning the streets for any sign of trouble.

The fax machine/printer roared to life as a list of different gangs and their colors spit out. Lin received the printout and handed the pages to John, who glanced at the various colors with listings of crimes attributed to each gang. He stopped on one, "This appears to be the right gang. They're called the Black dogs." His eyes scanned their crimes and he whistled, "Says here they're a known child sex ring kidnapping girls around thirteen to eighteen and forcing them into prostitution. They're also accused of trafficking drugs and theft."

Lin crossed his arms over his chest, as he was lost in thought. "Oliver believes they were hired by the Ethiopian to put pressure on Miss Taniyama."

John brightened a bit, "It's possible they are like the shock troops to wear her down and soften her up for the Ethiopian."

Lin nodded and turned back to his computer. "I think your right."

Gray skies matched Mai's mood as the small group sat under the sakura tree as they ate their lunch. Her mood had not improved when she received her English exam with low marks. She sighed as she tried to pay attention to the conversations around her.

Oliver knew what was troubling her, but he hoped she would say something about it. "Is everything okay? You seem to be distracted."

"I'm fine," she lied again. "I had a rough night last night." A frown crossed her face as she gazed up at the sakura tree as it sat bare of flowers. "You should have been here in early spring with the sakura blossoms in full bloom."

Eugene turned from his conversation with Michiru and Keiko, "You know Mai if you're having problems with English Kazuya and I would be happy to tutor you."

She felt the fog that was dragging her down begin to lift as her eyes brightened. "You would?" she glanced between the pair of twins.

Oliver nodded in agreement.

"Thank you both so much," she cried as she hugged Gene first and then Oliver. Her face flushed a bold red as she realized what she had done.

As the dismissal bell rang, Mai, the twins, and Masako rose from their seats packing their books away into their backpacks.

"Do you want to go start tutoring today Mai?"

"I can't today. I need to go to the store and do some grocery shopping. I'm running out of food."

"I'll go with you Mai," Masako offered. I need to pick up some things for my mother."

The two girls walked down the street heading for the market as they turned a corner Mai wasn't watching where she was going and bumped into the broad chest of a man. "I'm sorry," she apologized and glanced up into the man's face. Her eyes grew large as she recognized him as the man from two days before.

"Hey, if it isn't the little girl and look at this she brought a friend," the man sneered at both girls.

Masako's eyes turned cold, "If you value your life you will move and allow us to pass."

The larger man leaned forward sticking his face into the girl's faces. "I don't think so. I think you two need some fun with some real men."

Mai glanced around to find her and Masako surrounded by these rough looking men.

Masako slipped a hand up her kimono sleeve fingering the knife holder strapped to her forearm. She leaned over to Mai, "When I give the word I want you to run."

"I… I can't leave you here," she whispered back.

"I'll be okay, just do what I say."

Mai nodded as the men began to close their circle. A gunshot rang out from a nearby building and the speeding bullet impacted with the wall near one of the men sending chunks of brick into his eyes.

Masako pulled out her knife in one fluid motion and flipped it forward with practiced ease. The deadly weapon sped through the air and embedded itself in the forehead of one of the thugs, breaking through the skull, and entering the brain as blood spurted out splashing everyone in the vicinity with the man's blood.

Mai stood frozen in place as blood covered her as her brain refused to work. She stared down at the man the girl next to her had just killed.

Masako turned to Mai "Run," she shouted. The shorter of the girls used her height to her advantage as she whirled and brought a fist into the stomach of another man.

Several more gunshots rang out causing the men to run away. "We won't forget this!"

A car pulled up next to the two girls and tires squealed on pavement as the brakes stopped the vehicles momentum. Yasuhara popped his head out of the driver's side window. "Bundle her up now so we can jet. Don't need the police to see her in the state she's in."

"Where do we take her?"

Masako shoved Mai into the rear seat of the car and followed her inside slamming the door closed behind her.

"The safe house where the other group is," Yasu stated as he threw the car into gear and sped off.

Lin and John related the information they had discovered about this gang called the Black Dogs. Before anything else could be said, they heard tires squeal in the driveway as if a car came in at a high rate of speed.

Oliver and Eugene moved to either side of the door with stun guns in hand. John drew his standard issue revolver and moved the couch to a horizontal position facing the door. Lin pulled his Uzi from the holster he had attached to the bottom side of the desk and joined John.

Both Eugene and Oliver sucked in a breath as the door flew open with Yasuhara holding up both his hands. "Wait, we're friends," he called to keep someone from blowing his head off.

He quickly moved out of the way, as Masako led Mai in whose eyes were glazed over seeming not to see anyone.

"Oh Lord," John crossed himself as the girl looked like she'd been through a slaughterhouse.

"What happened?" Oliver demanded of the newcomers.

"I'll explain," Yasu turned to Masako and Mai "Why don't you take her upstairs to the bathroom and get her cleaned up. I'm sure there still some women's clothes up there somewhere from the last time this place was used."

Masako nodded as she led Mai upstairs.

Takigawa slammed his receiver into the cradle as he massaged his temple. Rising out of his chair, he stormed out of his office and entered the squad room. "Ayako grab your bag we're going to the safe house."

Her head shot up as confusion shadowed her face, "Is someone hurt?"

"Don't ask questions I'll tell you on the way to the safe house."

She grabbed her medical bag and quickly ran after the boss who was muttering a blue streak of colorful language that would make a sailor blush.

Mai sat at the table in the small kitchen as Oliver took a seat next to her and Eugene placed a cup of tea in front of her. The aroma reached her nose and she blinked and glanced around her surroundings. "This isn't my apartment where am I?"

"Mai," she turned to face Kazuya, "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I was walking to the market with Masako and that guy showed up again…," her voice caught in her throat as images flashed in her mind. "She killed him," tears welled up in her eyes as she covered her eyes with her hands. Her body shuddered as she took a couple of breaths, "She threw a knife and killed that man."

Masako, who leaned against a counter, glanced in the girl's direction. "I'm truly sorry you had to see it but its part of my job description."

Mai had other questions on her mind but before she could speak, shouting was heard coming from the other room. She sighed as she rose from her seat and moved to the doorway. "Would you all just shut up," she yelled. "Geez I'd like some answers but I need to be able to think." She returned to her seat as Eugene smiled openly and Oliver smirked.

Takigawa stormed into the room his face a mask of fury followed by Ayako and Yasuhara. The Section 9 director flopped into a chair and ran a hand through his chair. Gaining a semblance of calm, he placed both hands on the table and interlaced his fingers together as he glanced at the brunette in front of him. "What would you like to know?"

A phone rang and Eiji pulled his cell phone out and hit the talk button as he put the phone up to his ear. "What was that crap your people were pulling today? Did you not tell them that I do NOT want the Taniyama girl injured in any way? It looked to me like your people were going to grab those girls off the street and force them into a life of prostitution when you have no idea how important Taniyama is."

Eiji gulped as the man's voice on the other end of the call was menacing enough to even make him want to find a hole and crawl into it. "I'm sorry, sir. I will rectify that problem."

"Make sure you do, because if it happens again, you won't have to worry about collecting your money. I'll just kill you all myself." The connection went silent as Eiji tried to call the number again to find nothing but dead air.

Mai sipped at her cup of tea as her mind tried to sift through the answers she'd received. Glancing around the room, she sighed. "So you're telling me you guys are from these secret agencies from Japan, England, and America and your job is to protect me from someone who's called the Ethiopian who wants my father's work." She began to laugh, "Okay where's the camera I know this is some kind of huge prank. Keiko, Michiru, you two can come out now."

Oliver caught her attention with his eyes, "I assure you, Mai, this isn't a prank. This is very dangerous."

John cleared his throat, "Mai I'm curious just how do you pay for your expenses?"

She smiled at the mild-mannered man, "I get an allowance in my bank account monthly. My mom told me I'd get one before she …" her voice faltered a moment, "passed away. It's enough to pay my bills, food, and once in a while a new outfit."

Oliver leaned back in his chair as he crossed his arms over his chest. "That would mean that someone set up a trust fund for you which would be in your father's will."

Gene glanced at his brother and could see the wheels turning in his brother's head.

"Do you know who your family's lawyer is? We'll probably need to take a look at that will."

Mai shook her head, "No I have no idea who my lawyer is."

Takigawa glanced in Oliver's direction. "What are you thinking?"

"I think there might be clues contained in the will. I need to take a look at the original to make sure."

"I may have that in my office," Takigawa replied as he rose from his seat. He turned to Masako, "I need your report on my desk ASAP as to what happened today. I just hope the local Leo's don't start sticking their noses into this."

"What do you want to be done with Mai's uniform it's soaked in blood," her musical voice rang out around the room.

"Burn it blood tends to seep into fibers and is hard to get out of clothing. Bleaching it is out of the question so if they were to use luminol they would find traces of blood still in the fibers even if it was washed."

She nodded as she set out to carry out her bosses directions.

Mai waved at the man who had introduced herself as Lin Koujo after she stepped out of his van and climbed the stairs to her apartment. She sighed as she realized she still hadn't made it to the grocery. Tonight's dinner would again be vegetables and rice.

As she went through her preparations, she plugged her phone back into the wall. She'd given Kazuya and Kazuhiro her phone number in case they wanted to check up on her. She smiled to herself as she noted how concerned Kazuya seemed to be about her. She felt a slight sensation of butterflies flutter in her stomach as she thought about him.

As she placed half of her dinner on a plate and the other half into her bento box, her phone began to ring as it cut through the silence. Walking over to the phone she picked up the receiver, "Hello?"

"Miss Taniyama, I'm searching for your father's research it would be in your best interest if you tell me where it's hidden," the cold male voice sounded in her ear.

"I… I'm sorry I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me," the disembodied voice growled in her ear.

"I swear I'm not. I have no idea what kind of work my father did."

She heard a harsh laugh in her ear, "You better remember fast or your friends will begin paying with their lives."

As Mai lay in bed she tried to sleep but every time she closed, her eyes she saw the knife enter the man's head and could feel and smell the blood that splattered her. Her mind began to wonder as visions of a five-year-old came back to her.

The little girl ran into her father's workshop, "Daddy, mommy says to come and eat."

She felt her father's hand on her head, "Tell your mother that I'll be there in a few minutes."

A knock was heard on the door as Mai had turned to leave, but something told her to stay. She hid behind a cabinet as she watched her father go to the door and open it. She couldn't hear what was said, but heard a gunshot and watched as her father fell to the floor. Blood began to stain his shirt as a dark figure stepped into the room and searched through cabinets and tables for information.

She sat up in bed as her heart raced and she glanced around her room as sweat prickled her skin and her eyes grew large as the realization hit her like a punch to the stomach. "I saw who killed daddy," she whispered and placed a hand on her heart.

Saturday afternoon Mai walked with the twins heading home from school, "Oh I forgot I need to head to the market before you two start tutoring me."

Gene smiled her way, "Lead the way, Miss Moneypenny."

She blinked at Gene.

"Kazuhiro, she may not know who Miss Moneypenny is," Oliver suggested.

Gene smiled again, "She's a fictional character from the 007 movies and the secretary to M, who is Bond's boss."

"So you see me as a secretary?" Mai blinked again as she felt her temperature rise and her face turn red.

Oliver glanced her way, "He fantasizes that he's James Bond. However, dear brother Bond worked for MI6."

Gene sighed, "The competition."

Mai and the twins sat at her small table as Oliver pointed out the finer things of the English language. Mai leaned back in her chair frustrated. "This will never make sense to me," she whined.

"It takes time, Mai. Don't get yourself so frustrated because you still have a couple of more years of high school to learn," Gene smiled her way.

Mai felt the need for some tea. "Would you two like some tea?"

Gene nodded, "Sounds nice Miss Moneypenny."

Oliver reached over and smacked his brother. "Would you stop for once with the Bond jokes they're getting old."

Gene rubbed the back of his head letting out a silent Ow.

As Mai was fixing the tea, she decided she needed to confide in them. "Uh… Kazuya, I remembered something last night." She stopped talking as the kettle whistled and she took it off the burner and added the leaves to allow the tea to steep. "I actually saw who killed my father when I was five but it seems my mind locked it away."

Oliver's head shot up as he stared at the girl. "Did you see anything that you might be able to recognize about the person?"

The brunette's head shook as she turned to look at the twins, "No I didn't see anything. The person was dressed all in black. However, I also got a phone call last night from someone who threatened that he would hurt my friends if I didn't tell him what he wanted to know. He wanted to know where my father's work was but honestly, I have no idea. I was five at the time."

Oliver stared at Mai as concern floated in his eyes as she poured the cups, "Don't worry Mai even though this Takigawa character seems a bit rough around the edges he's actually very competent. I believe at this moment he's assigning other teams to watch over Keiko and Michiru."

Mai placed the cups down on the table, returned to her seat, and endured another hour of English tutoring.

Lin and John pulled up in front of an office. Climbing out of their van then knocked on the door but didn't hear a sound inside. Cautiously opening the door, they found a room that looked like a tornado had swept through. Papers were thrown all over the office. As they got closer to the lawyer's desk they were prepared to find a body, instead they found a few drops of blood.

Lin frowned as he motioned for him and John to exit the building.

Gene glanced at Mai, "Miss Moneypenny more tea please."

Mai rolled her eyes as she rose from her seat and gave him a strained smile, "Sure."

As she completed the tea and started placing the cups on the table Gene craned his head around, "Hey Mai, I meant to ask but how are you and Kazuya getting along?"

She jumped and accidentally dumped the tea over Gene's head. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry," the girls face looked horrified at what she had done. She raced to her bathroom to grab some towels.

Oliver chuckled at his brother's predicament. "Haven't you learned yet not to play with girls emotions?"

Gene smirked at his brother, "And haven't you learned this girl has feelings for you?"

Oliver stood and walked over to the window as he looked out onto the street below. "That will never happen," he whispered to himself.

Mai returned with the towels, "I'm so sorry Kazuhiro."

Gene took the towels from her as he began to dry the tea out of his hair and dry off his clothes. "No, I should apologize," he bowed to her. "I was way out of line," a sly smirk crossed his face, "but I know you like my little brother," he whispered to her.

Oliver's phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket and answered, "Yes Lin." He listened to what Lin had to say and frowned. "I understand check with the bank," he ended the call and replaced the phone in his pocket.

Gene glared at his brother's back, "So what did Lin have to say?"

Oliver turned to face the pair, "He and John went to Yukio Tanaka's office which was Mr. Taniyama's lawyer. His office was trashed and no sign of Mr. Tanaka. So he and John went to his house and found it in the same condition."

A tear slipped out of one of Mai's eyes as she wrapped her arms around her body hugging herself. "I… I used to feel safe here, but now I'm always afraid."

She dropped down to the floor and her head fell forward as more tears joined the first.

Gene stepped quietly over to his brother and clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Go and comfort her, she needs you."

Oliver shook his head, "The girls don't like me it's you they like."

Gene hauled off and slapped Oliver on the back of his head, "This time I'm right so stop acting like an idiot and go comfort her."

Oliver glared back at his brother as he rubbed the back of his head. He stepped over to Mai and knelt down as he pulled her into his lap and allowed her to cry into his shirt. "It's okay Mai we'll protect you."

They had decided that Mai needed to stay with them at the safe house, although she had argued with the twins neither would budge. They packed her clothes and a few things of importance to the girl like a picture of her parents and loaded her and her things into the van after they called Lin to come pick them up.

Lin had entered her apartment and then exited not telling anyone what he had done, but the Twins had an idea.

Mai stretched as she sat up in bed the following morning. Though she tossed and turned most of the night, she finally did sleep but at the same time, she felt sorry that John had given up his room for her to have a bed.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and rose. Going to the closet, she rummaged through her clothes looking for something to wear and decided on a blue powder shirtdress with a matching belt. Mai stuck her head out the door making sure no males were in the hallway and quickly darted into the bathroom where she showered, dressed, and brushed her teeth.

Taking her nightclothes back to her room, she slipped her feet into a pair of black flats and descended the stairs to hear the phone ring. Lin nodded to her, "Answer the phone."

She walked over to it and picked up the receiver, "Hello?"

"Miss Taniyama," it was the same male voice that struck her with fear. "Have you remembered yet where your father left his plans?"

"No… No, I haven't."

"Go take a look in the alley behind your apartment and you will find out how serious I am about this. You have two days to remember or your friends are next." The sound of a click and dial tone met her ears as she trembled and replaced the phone back into the cradle.

She glanced around the room at the others, "How… how did he know I was here?" She wrapped her arms around herself again as she trembled and Oliver stepped over to her placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Lin put a device on your phone that would forward your calls here so people will think your still in your apartment."

She nodded as Lin's hands flew over the keyboard of his laptop. "I've analyzed the call. The Ethiopian is using a voice changer."

John let out the breath he'd been holding, "So even if we had a copy of his voice we still can't compare it to voice prints on known databases."

Lin nodded "That is correct."

"Our next step would be to go to the alley and find out what the Ethiopian has left," Gene spoke up.

Mai nodded and joined the group of agents as they exited the safe house and climbed into the van. 

Lin parked the van at Mai's apartment building and the group climbed out and walked down the street to the alley. Gene carried a case with a camera and gloves inside just in case it was what he and Oliver feared it might be.

As the group strolled down the alley, Lin spotted something and sent a silent signal to the others. Oliver grabbed Mai and spun himself and her around, "Don't look Mai." He put his hand on her head keeping her head next to his chest while his other arm felt like a steel band that held her body next to his.

John gasped and made the sign of the cross as Gene cracked open the case and held up a pair of gloves to the blond headed CIA agent.

John took them and slipped them over his hands. He noticed no signs of blood loss at the location, however, the wounds over the body showed signs of torture while the victim was alive. He rummaged through the pockets, pulled out a wallet, and opened it to find the man's ID. He sucked in a breath as he read the name and glanced up at Oliver. "It's Yukio Tanaka."

When they returned to the safe house, Oliver called Takigawa to report finding the Taniyama's lawyer in the alley behind Mai's apartment. "I'd like to request the services of Miss Matsuzaki. We moved Mai to the safe house, but this shock has caused her to shut down."

Oliver glanced into the room where Mai lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She hadn't said a word to anyone upon their return.

Gene climbed the stairs and glanced at his brother and then at Mai. He shook his head muttering under his breath, "For someone with a massive brain he's totally clueless."

Oliver hung up his phone, tucked it into his pocket, and felt his brother grab his arm and drag him into their shared room. He shoved Oliver down onto his bed.

Gene raked a hand through his hair and then turned to his brother. "Look I don't know how to make you see it but that girl in the other room needs you."

"So you say. However we all know how they like to use me to get to you."

"You're supposed to be the smart twin but right now you're a total idiot. I see the looks she gives you and she doesn't give them to me. She likes you not me so do me and her favor and go to her."

Oliver sighed as he stared at his brother. "Fine I'll go, but if she starts asking for you, I get to say I told you so."

Gene cast a crooked smile his brother's way, "You may think that, but I think you'll be surprised at her reaction."

Oliver stood in the doorway of Mai's room and finally sucked in a breath and entered. He sat down on the bed next to her, "Mai."

Her eyes slid over to see him sitting there and in one fluid motion, she sat up and threw herself into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist and her sobs grew. "Why is this happening?" she finally asked through her tears.

"It's because of your father Mai," he spoke quietly as he ran a hand through her hair.

"I still don't understand, what did my dad do, was he a bad man?" she asked as she hiccupped.

"No, your father wasn't a bad man Mai, he was a good person. He developed weapons that are still used today in the war on terror, and that's why I suspect he was killed. He was developing weapons that would be used against the terrorists and they want those plans."

"I see," she replied as she glanced up at his face, tears still staining her cheeks. "Do you think Michiru and Keiko will be okay?"

"Yes, I do," he wiped the tears from her eyes and pressed a small kiss to the top of her head. He got a slight shock when he saw the smile that crossed her face and felt something stir within him.

A soft smile lit Gene's face. Maybe his brother finally realized that he liked Mai. Gene grabbed the knob and pulled the door closed. "Finally, you get it, little brother," he whispered as he stepped away from the room.

Ayako stepped out of her red sports car and her heels clicked along the driveway as she approached the door. She knocked on the door and someone pulled it open. "Hello, Takigawa said that I was needed because Mai had shut down emotionally."

"Oh right this way," John led the way upstairs to find the door closed to Mai's room. He knocked softly but no sound came from inside. He pushed the door open to find Oliver lying stretched out on Mai's bed asleep with her in his arms and her head lying on his chest. A small smile crossed her face.

John closed the door as Gene snickered from behind the pair. Ayako turned to the pair and sighed, "I thought he said she shut down."

Gene shot her a crooked smile, "Apparently she needed the right motivation."

Ayako rolled her eyes at the twin and turned to stomp down the stairs, "Total waste of my time coming out here. What do I look like a freaking nurse?"

Gene opened his mouth to say something but caught Lin's warning glare from across the room. He quickly closed it as she stormed out of the safe house.

"What was that about?" Lin asked as he stared suspiciously at Gene.

"Remember when Mai shut down and refused to say a word to anyone. It appears that our little Mai likes Oliver and he just needed a good push her way to make the feeling mutual."

"That might not be a good thing. Remember after this is over we will be returning to England."

Gene glanced back at Lin and smiled as he glanced up at the ceiling. "I have a feeling that may not happen," and he turned and strode out of the room leaving the Chinese man staring after the younger man in confusion.

Monday morning dawned bright as the three teens rushed around to get ready for school. Oliver approached Mai's room and knocked on her door. "Just a minute," she called as she pulled her uniform skirt up under her pajama top. Mai strode to the door and pulled it open to find the younger of the twins standing there. She noticed he held something in one of his hands. "What's that," she pointed at the thing that looked like an odd piece of clothing.

"This," he held it up, "is a bulletproof vest and I want you to wear it from this day forward."

"Oh no, I'm not going to wear that."

"Mai, you need to wear it."

"No, I don't besides it looks like it'll be hot."

"Look Mai this for your safety and I would be remiss in my duty to protect you if I didn't have you wear it," Oliver persisted.

"Why?"

"We got a call early this morning from Takigawa. There was an attempt made at Michiru's house and the agent they put in the house was shot. However Michiru's fine and her family was moved to a safe house last night along with Keiko's."

Mai's eyes grew large as she nodded. "How do I wear it?"

Oliver smirked, "Well we don't want the Ethiopian to know that you're wearing it so it needs to be under your uniform shirt. Take off your pajama top and I'll help you to put it on."

Mai's face flushed a cute shade of pink as she turned away and began to unbutton the buttons to her top.

Oliver smirked as he found Mai adorable when she blushed. She removed the top and he stepped up behind her, placed the vest onto her shoulders, and then reached around her to grab the straps to tighten the vest down around her waist. As his fingers moved deftly, his hands brushed up against her skin as an electric charge ran through both of them.

He turned her around checking to make sure the vest was flush with her skin and her chest and back were covered. "Finish getting dressed, Lin has breakfast made. He will drive us to school."

Mai nodded as he strode out of the room.

Lin dropped them off in front of the school and he drove off with John as the pair headed to the bank. He entered the bank hoping that no one knew who Yukio Tanaka was and handed his ID plus paperwork from Takigawa for information on the Taniyama family.

The manager glanced at everything, "Everything looks to be in order, Mr. Tanaka. Mr. Taniyama set up a trust fund for his daughter in case of the death of both parents, which sadly happened. We make sure that she receives a monthly allowance in the amount stipulated by Mrs. Taniyama after her husband's untimely death."

Lin nodded in understanding. "Was anything else left here in care of the bank by the Taniyama's?"

"Funny you should ask that. There is a safety deposit box, and according to this information, we can turn the contents over to you." The manager rose and led Lin to a room. "I'll go get that from the vault for you sir."

Several minutes later the manager returned with the safety deposit box and opened it. Lin found it to be a little treasure trove of information. Inside was the original will, several pieces of jewelry, keys to what may have been the elder Taniyama's lab and address is written on a slip of paper. Retrieving a bag from his jacket, he placed the entire contents of the safety deposit box into the bag and slipped it into the inner pocket of his coat. He thanked the manager for his help and exited the building.

Eiji's phone rang and he answered, "Hello?"

"Change of plans, I want you to snatch the Taniyama girl and bring her to this address," the Ethiopian rattled off the address. "I do not want her hurt because I will question her myself. Anyone with her is fair game."

The phone disconnected as a predatory grin spread over Eiji's face.

Lin pulled the van up in front of the school as the dismissal bell rang. John noticed a group of men wearing the colors of The Black Dogs approaching. "I think we have a problem," he pointed toward the men.

Lin glanced around noticing Yasuhara climbing out of a nearby car. "Let's get out in case they try something." He and John left the van and joined Yasuhara by the gate.

Yasuhara nodded towards the approaching men, "Looks like trouble."

"Yes it does," Lin commented.

"Should we stop them?"

"No we wait for the twins and the others," Lin replied.

At that moment, Oliver, Mai, Masako, and Gene came walking out when the Black Dogs began to run towards the group of teens not realizing the adults were waiting for them.

Lin turned into a flurry of motion of his punches and kicks made contact with several of the gang members thankful that his parents had made him study with Shao Lin masters. John danced as he put his boxing skills to use and made contact with another member sending the man's head flying backward several times as John's knuckles made contact with his chin. Yasu waded into the fight using his own brand of martial arts that was a cross between Jackie Chan and Jet Li. He was a flurry of fists and kicks that connected with everyone he touched.

Some boys exiting the school saw the fight and they waded into the mess and began engaging some Black Dogs who tried to get close to Mai.

Oliver pushed Mai behind him as he, his brother became an immovable wall, and Masako joined them as she threw several knives wounding some of the gang members.

The fight itself only lasted several minutes and the Black Dogs ran away with their tails tucked between their legs.

Yasu sweating with a huge grin plastered on his face glanced at the others, "That was fun."

Masako snorted at her backup, "You have an odd sense of fun."

Gene had a split lip where one had connected with his face and he wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.

Lin glanced at the oldest of the pair of twins, "Looks like you forgot to duck." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to the boy.

Mai fussed over Oliver as he winced from a few bruised ribs he sustained in the fight.

"I'm good Mai," he rolled his eyes at her attentions and then pulled her towards the van.

"Where are we going?"

"Home, you have homework and I need to find out what kind of information Lin found today."

Mai sat at the kitchen table working on her homework as she occasionally heard the conversation coming from the living room.

Lin pulled out both the original will and the copy. "As you can see the original will that was in the safety deposit box is written using obscure words that are no longer utilized in any language. It seems Mr. Taniyama left us a riddle to figure out."

Oliver nodded as he glanced at the papers the Kanji eluding him.

"John and I have already translated part of the code. Basically, he says that because of his work he knew someone was hunting him and he placed his plans where no one would find them."

Oliver frowned, "So there wasn't a data disk or anything to that effect in the safety deposit box?"

"No, there wasn't," the Chinese man pulled out a bag and dumped the contents on the table and moved several pieces of jewelry – a ring, bracelet, necklace, and broach out the way. He picked up several pieces of paper, "These are patents to some of the weapons he created that he had filed in several countries." He placed them to the side and picked up a set of keys and another slip of paper. "The keys appear to go to his lab and maybe some filing cabinets and this document have the address written down."

Oliver nodded again as he held his chin with forefinger and thumb.

Gene moved over to his brother, "What are you thinking?"

Oliver glanced up at the others, "We need to know what the rest of the will says." He turned and clapped his brother on the shoulder, "Are you ready to put your Kanji skills to the test and help Lin and John with the rest of the translation?"

A sly expression crossed the older twins face as he replied as 007, "Anytime M, anytime."

Oliver rolled his eyes as he turned on his heel to go see if Mai needed help with her homework.

Hours passed as the trio in the living room continued working through the code. Mai sat on her bed as she kept searching her memories for any details about the man who had killed her father. She rubbed at her temples as she felt a headache coming on and felt a change of scenery would do her good.

Standing up Mai exited her room and descended the stairs as she stepped into the kitchen she found Kazuya there sitting behind a laptop as he typed on the keyboard.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she rummaged through the cabinets finding the teakettle and tea leaves.

Oliver continued typing away as he spoke, "I'm sending a report off to MI5."

"Oh," she responded as she held the kettle under the faucet and the water sloshed in the metal pot. She spun the dial on the stove igniting the burner, placed the pot on the stovetop, and pulled out a seat beside him.

"Why haven't you gone to sleep yet?" He looked up from his laptop and gazed into her eyes.

"I was trying to figure out if I could see anything about the man who killed dad, but all I've done is give myself a headache."

Eiji's phone beeped as several text messages came over his phone. He read the words and gulped as he realized that this boss was beginning to lose his cool.

He pocketed his phone and turned to the gang, "Everyone get up, we're going to the Taniyama girls apartment."

As Lin, John, Gene worked hard on the translation a blinking red light on Lin's laptop alerted him to something happening at Mai's apartment. He pressed a couple of buttons on the laptop as he observed the video and audio feed. The men were in the process of trashing her apartment at finding the girl wasn't there.

Several minutes passed as sirens were heard and the gang ran as fast as they could. Lin picked up the phone and dialed the number for Section 9.

A bored female voice answered. "I'd like to speak with Director Takigawa."

"I'm sorry sir but he's gone for the day, but I could take a message if you'd like."

"Yes, please inform him that the black dogs have struck again at Miss Taniyama's apartment."

That seemed to wake the woman up, "Yes sir, I'll get the message to him right away."

Mai finished the tea and sat a cup down next to Oliver and she returned to her own seat with a cup in hand. She placed her elbows on the table and propped her head up on her hands. "What happens next?"

"That depends on what the rest of the code in the original will says," replied as he picked up the cup and savored the flavor of the girl's tea as he took a sip.

Her face showed the stress of today what with learning an attempt had been made on Michiru's life, the fight at school, and the overall worry that something may happen to her ever-growing circle of friends.

Glancing up at him and then staring down into her tea, she finally voiced her concern, "What will happen after this case is over?"

He had an idea what was on her mind, "You're afraid," he spoke quietly as he reached over and took her hand in his.

She nodded, "I don't want you to go back to England."

A cough came from the doorway as a huge grin split Gene's face, "I doubt that will happen, Miss Moneypenny since you are the key to your father's legacy."

Her eyes grew as huge as saucers as she stared at Gene and her mouth dropped open.

Oliver stared at his brother, "What are you talking about?"

"We've finished the translation. It seems before Mai's father died he hypnotized her and implanted into her subconscious the specifications for his designs. He hints toward a code word to remove the hypnotic suggestion. So it only stands to reason if he'd write the original will in an obscure language then the word would be the same."

Oliver nodded, "This will take time to figure out. Did he possibly leave any hints at to what the word is?"

"Just one, pure," Gene grinned and moved over to Mai. "So you see there's no reason for us to leave because you will still need protection from any threat that rears its ugly head."

A myriad of emotions passed over the brunettes face—shock, horror, fear, anger, and finally depression. "Why, daddy why did you do this to me?" She whispered as she slumped back into her chair.

Oliver stood and placed his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her. "Don't worry Mai, let us figure this out. Now you need to go to sleep, let me do the thinking, okay?"

She nodded when she felt warm lips press against her cheek and her face flushed a bright red and heard a chuckle from behind her.

The Ethiopian frowned as he read the text message, the girl was nowhere in sight. So far someone was playing a game of cat and mouse and he refused to be the mouse. He stood in shadow as a thought came to mind and he would be there to end this game and Taniyama's brat would tell him what he wanted to know.

He replied to the text message with one of his own as a smile lit his face. "Game over," he muttered to himself as he readied his weapons and body armor.

Oliver knocked on Mai's door and opened to find her struggling to open her eyes. He approached her bed, "We let you sleep in today. We're going to the address found in the safety deposit box. Don't forget to wear the vest again today."

"Otay," she spoke trying to pry her tongue from the roof of her mouth.

Oliver chuckled as he exited the room.

As he descended the stairs he was joined by Gene, "I really have a bad feeling about this."

Oliver nodded as he turned to the others in the room, "Just to be on the safe side we lock and load."

The twins pulled open the small closet off the side of the room usually used for hanging coats. Instead, the quickly pulled out their military grade body armor and began putting on. They moved over to the cabinet and pulled out their weapon cases opened them. Each strapped a military issue knife to a leg within its own holster, followed by their glocks in shoulder holsters, their small knives, and stun guns in their pockets. They finished their look with the long duster type bulletproof coats that reached their ankles.

They turned to find John in a bulletproof vest and pulling a suit jacket over the top of it with his handgun in a shoulder holster. He kneeled down and strapped an ankle holster to his leg holding his backup pistol.

Lin wore his own bulletproof vest over his white dress shirt and he followed it with his own bulletproof jacket like the twins.

They turned to find Mai descending the stairs and she stopped on the landing but didn't question the attire the others wore. Oliver stepped over, took her elbow with his hand, and directed her out to the van.

As she climbed in, she turned and looked down at him, "I don't know how to describe it but I have a really bad feeling, something is telling me to run."

The van pulled up in front of a small two-story house in a quiet residential area close to the Shibuya district. Mai stared out the window of the van, "This was my home."

Oliver stared down at some papers he'd been reading on the trip to the house. "Apparently it still is. According to these papers," he shuffled the pages as they crinkled slightly in his hands, "your house has been transferred to your name. The bank has been paying the taxes on the house since your mother's death so it never reverted to the government. It appears that your father was a pretty wealthy man at the time of his death but decided to live a simpler lifestyle."

"So… the house is mine?" she swallowed hard as she glanced at her childhood home.

"Let's check it out, Miss Moneypenny. Oh and if you don't mind could I have a martini shaken, not stirred," Gene smiled and Oliver snorted at his twins comment. John and Mai both sighed while Lin shook his head as a why me expression crossed his face.

The quintet group of people climbed out of a van and turned as a black sedan pulled up and parked. Climbing out of the car were Takigawa, Masako, Yasuhara, and Ayako. They approached the others and Takigawa glanced at the house. "Doesn't seem like the location to have a weapons lab."

Yasu looked at it, "Well maybe that was the point having something hidden in plain sight."

Oliver turned to Lin and Gene, "Why don't you two check out the perimeter and see if there is another entrance to the building beside the obvious."

The pair nodded and strode off.

Oliver turned to Mai, "Do you know why your mother moved out of the house?"

Mai nodded, "Momma said she couldn't stay here where daddy was killed. I think she was afraid that I would continue to cry about Daddy not being here anymore." She shrugged as a thought occurred to her. "Or it could be that she was afraid that the person who killed daddy would come after us if we stayed."

Oliver nodded, "I would agree with the second assumption with everything that has happened recently."

The group moved towards the house and Oliver quickly found the right key on the ring and slipped into the lock unlocking the door. As they stepped inside they were greeted by a musty smell and dust sat thickly on the dust covers on the furniture. A mouse chittered at the group and scurried through the dust to a hiding place. Cobwebs hung throughout gathering dust and some broke away from their moorings on walls as a gust of fresh air entered the house.

Takigawa pulled out a flashlight and turned it on as the group walked through the small house with Mai leading the way using her memory as a guide. They turned a corner and Mai found the door leading downstairs. They found a corridor and followed it.

Ayako gasped, "This is larger than we thought. We must be under the neighbor's foundation."

In the end, they found another set of stairs that led further down. They found the weapons lab but noticed the floor to the other end slanted upwards. However, it leveled then slanted a few feet again and continued until they found another door. Opening it, they found another exit, which led to a street two streets away from the house.

Mai gasped as she noticed the blood stains on the floor by the door. She knew this is where her father died. As they stepped out they found the door sat by a parking lot and turning around, they found a faded sign that read Taniyama Research.

They reentered the lab with Yasu relocking the door. "Okay everyone fan out and see if we can find anything about Taniyama's research," Takigawa called to his crew.

"No need," Oliver replied stopping everyone. "Mai is the key, seems her father implanted his designs into her subconscious so no matter how much anyone looks for them they won't find the information. I personally don't see a need to use the word to cause her to remember mainly because she won't have an idea of what they are."

Mai huffed as she put her hands on her hips, "Did you just call me stupid?"

Yasu chuckled and Masako hid a smile behind her kimono sleeve.

Oliver turned to her, "No I wasn't calling you stupid, just that you'd never understand what's stored in that brain of yours."

"Ka-zu-ya," she growled as her face turned a bright red, "You did, you called me stupid!" She stamped her foot causing a dust cloud to rise and she began to cough.

Oliver smirked, "Now that's stupid."

"Argh," she growled.

As they stepped back into the house from the lab, Oliver turned to Mai, "Did you remember anything about the man who killed your father?"

She shook her head, "No, all I can still see someone dressed in black."

"Well, looks like this was a bust," Takigawa commented as the group headed towards the exit.

"No, it wasn't a wasted trip, mate. We actually found the lab itself and since the house is in Mai's name we can come back anytime."

Oliver nodded, "Agreed."

They spotted Lin and Gene waiting for them. "So what's the lab like, M?"

"It's just a lab."

"You didn't find anything? Where's Q when you need him."

Ayako sighed, "Hopefully on vacation, which is where I should be," she glared at her boss.

As the group stepped out into the sunlight, the report from a gunshot sounded as a bullet impacted in the ground by their feet. A disembodied voice said from the opposite side of the street, "Just give us the girl and you can leave without anyone getting killed."

Everyone dove for cover with Oliver running with Mai over behind some bushes near the van. "Stay down," he ordered as moved for the van drawing his glock.

He frowned as he took in the Section 9 people. Takigawa and Yasuhara seemed to be the only ones armed as the others in his group fanned out. Gene took up a position behind a tree in the yard while Lin took a position behind part of the stone fence that surrounded the yard. John had moved to the opposite side of Mai while Ayako and Masako had managed to make it to the sedan. Takigawa moved up beside Oliver as he scanned the rooftops on the opposite side of the street.

Oliver yelled out from behind the van, "You can't have her."

"Very well then, we'll just kill the lot of you and take her ourselves."

Gunfire erupted as the black dogs began to advance. Oliver yelled over the gunfire, "Fire at will," as they returned fire making sure their bullets hit targets.

The Ethiopian growled in anger as again his shot at the tall man missed the mark again as the man ducked down behind the wall again. He noticed Eiji was moving around some cars at the end of the street. He figured out Eiji's target and swore as Eiji fired his gun, the Ethiopian put a bullet in the gang leader's head. "No one disobeys my orders," he yelled as he stared the other black dogs down. "Fight or die."

Mai felt what at first felt like a sting in her side and she glanced over as she fell backward onto the ground. Blood began to stain her side as the bullet had found an opening in the bulletproof vest. She groaned as the pain grew and John noticed the blood.

Moving over to the prone girl, he tore at the side of her shirt, "Ayako, Mai's been shot," he yelled out as Oliver's head turned towards John's voice.

"This is getting us nowhere," Oliver hissed. "Lin," he shouted at the Chinese man.

Lin switched the setting on his Uzi from semi-automatic to full auto and sprayed out two full clips at the attackers in a minute.

Ayako grabbed her medical bag out of the sedan and actually jumped the hedgerow and managed to avoid a barrage of bullets that streamed towards her. She crab walked across the ground staying low while dragging the bag along with her.

Reaching John, she knelt down next to him and noticed the girl was panting hard as if she was trying to get her breath. "Stay with me Mai," she called to the girl.

Mai nodded as she continued to try to suck in air. "Hurts," she managed to say.

"I know sweetie, you've got a collapsed lung and I'm going to have to reinflate it so this is going to hurt." She rummaged through her bag, found a scalpel, and used it to cut through the two bands of material that held the bulletproof vest to the girl's body. She pulled out a bottle of alcohol and poured it over the scalpel and then walked her fingers over the ribs and found the right spot. Pressing down hard she cut through several layers of tissue as more blood seeped out.

Mai tried to be brave as she grit her teeth against the pain as she grabbed handfuls of grass and pulled.

Ayako swore as she looked for just one syringe but couldn't find one. She pulled a ballpoint pen, ripped the guts out, poured more alcohol over the outside, inside the now hollow tube, and jabbed it into the opening she cut on the girl's side.

Mai's breathing evened out as the air that was trapped in the chest cavity escaped allowing the lung to reinflate.

Ayako placed two pressure bandages on both the wounds as she tapped the pen in place.

Sirens sounded from both ends of the street as police officers flooded the area and quickly started rounding up the remaining black dogs as Takigawa spoke to the officer in charge and flashing his ID.

He rejoined the group as everyone hovered around Mai and Ayako was taking her blood pressure. "How's she doing," he asked as he kneeled down next to Ayako. She shook her head, "There's no exit wound, and her blood pressure isn't good."

"An ambulance is on its way."

Oliver ran his hand through Mai's hair. She glanced up at him, "I'm sorry."

"For what," he asked gently.

She coughed as she glanced up at him, "For not getting out of the way."

He chuckled slightly. "That wasn't your fault" He leaned over and pressed a small kiss to her forehead.

Gene couldn't help it as he let grinned. "Oh Miss Moneypenny, our mother will be so happy."

As the sirens of the approaching ambulance sounded, Oliver reached out and smacked his brother on the back of the head.

Ayako raced down the hallway along with Oliver as the stretcher holding Mai was wheeled into an exam room. She was allowed into the room as he was pushed out. "I'm sorry sir, but you'll have to wait."

Oliver turned away from the door and raked a hand through his hair. He looked up as he heard the sounds of footfalls on the tile floors and saw Lin and the others approaching.

Gene raced to his brother's side, "How is she?"

"I don't know. They were putting IV's into her. Miss Matsuzaki said it was to get her blood pressure up."

As they stood there, the door opened to the exam room as the group of doctors and nurses ran with the stretcher. Ayako joined them as she pulled off a pair of bloody gloves and threw them into the proper bin. "She's stable now. They're taking her up to the OR to perform surgery."

Oliver nodded as he felt pressure on his shoulder and turned to find Gene giving him silent support. The younger of the twins nodded imperceptibly.

A figure entered the hospital and slipped into a locker room. A woman walked in and smiled at the figure that slipped out again while no one seemed to notice the tips of fingers sticking out of a laundry cart. The person in question adjusted their uniform and walked towards the information desk.

Takigawa entered the hospital with a flood of Section 9 officers in tow. "Lock down this hospital, no one gets in or out without my say so. If anyone has a problem they can talk to me."

Several sirs rang out around him as he approached the group.

"What's going on? Why are you locking down my parent's hospital?" Ayako practically shrieked as she turned to the man.

"Calm yourself down and I'll tell everyone why " he glared at his hotheaded subordinate.

Her face turned the color of a tomato as she glared at the man but finally calmed down.

"After questioning the remaining black dogs, we discovered the Ethiopian slipped through our fingers again. So we believe he may be somewhere in the hospital. My people are doing a sweep of the hospital checking out every employee in the hospital with fingerprint scanners. We'll catch him soon."

A nurse at the desk answered a call and hung up. "Dr. Matsuzaki, Miss Taniyama is now in recovery."

Ayako motioned for the others to follow her as they entered the elevators to head for the surgical floor.

Mai felt her face being slapped slightly but not so gently. "Miss Taniyama, it's your wake-up call and I need you to answer my questions."

Mai's eyes opened slightly as she tried to focus on the image of the person standing beside her bed. However, the anesthesia still needed to wear off and her eyes began to droop closed again.

"No, I need you awake." The person reached down, found the stitches for the surgery, and pressed down hard.

A scream tore out of Mai's throat as the door opened to find an angry Oliver standing in the wake of the other agents. He raced forward and tackled the woman who hurt his Mai and pulled her up to look her directly in the eyes.

"You…" he whispered as he shook her for a moment. "You know it's against my morals to hit a woman, but you I can make an allowance for." He shoved her backward into Takigawa's arms.

Takigawa pulled out a set of cuffs and placed them on her wrists. "Who is she?"

Oliver stared at the white haired woman who glared back at the boy. "I want you to meet our former maid Angela Blanc, whose real name is Anzelika Blazenhov."

Mai whimpered in the bed next to him as pain radiated from her midsection.

Oliver ran a hand through her hair as he found that it calmed her, and she slipped back into sleep.

"I can only assume since Angela worked for my family for a year before she was sacked is that she was seeking information on Mr. Taniyama to pass to her friends around the world. Or even his plans so they could get a jump on us in the war on terror considering he is the one who created the laser sight."

The woman growled at Oliver, "I was so close to finding the information out and then that idiot Eiji shot her. That was unforeseeable, but he'll never make that mistake again."

He glanced at Takigawa, "I believe you just received a confession for the murder of a Japanese citizen."

Takigawa chuckled, "It's a good thing I had my cell set to record this. I believe this will hold up in a court of law."

Angela spat on the ground by Takigawa's feet, "So what there's not a death penalty in Japan."

Oliver smirked her way. "That's where you're wrong." He motioned to Gene to explain.

Gene nodded and cleared his throat as he began his Sean Connery impersonation. "You see Helga that is Helga Brandt. There is a death penalty in Japan for a serious crime like murder and its death by hanging." He moved his hand up to his neck as if he was hanging by a noose and made a choking noise.

Oliver smirked as Angela screamed and ranted as Takigawa, Masako and Yasuhara led her away.

Takigawa and the prisoner paused in the hallway as his walkie-talkie squawked to life. "Sir, we found a body in the nurse's locker room in the laundry basket."

"Have you identified the body?"

"Yes sir, her name was Hannah Waianae. She was a nurse here."

Takigawa glanced at the nametag reading the name of the deceased nurse. "Another crime we can charge you with and we will also be charging you with the murder of Mr. Taniyama." He pulled the woman who struggled to get free from him.

Ayako stared at the older twin, "I thought her name was Angela, not Helga."

Gene chuckled, "Helga was an evil woman who Bond fed to piranhas in a movie."

As Mai recovered in the hospital and the days past her sixteenth birthday was coming. She hoped to be out of the one place she would never get rest from as nurses came in and disturbed her sleep to poke, and prod her.

She sat on her bed dressed waiting for someone to bring her paperwork so she could leave the hospital. As she waited, the twins entered and a bright smile flew over her face at the pair. Gene rushed to her side and hugged her gently, "Happy Birthday." As he backed away from the girl, he bounced on the balls of his feet.

She motioned towards him, "What's going on with him?"

"He enjoys birthdays."

She blinked at her now boyfriend, "And you don't?"

He shrugged, "It's just another day marking that you're one day older."

Gene began to say something and Oliver clamped a hand over his mouth and brought his mouth over to Gene's ear. "Don't ruin the surprise," he whispered.

The older of the twins nodded as his younger brother took his hand away from his mouth.

Lin pulled the van in front of Mai's childhood home. The twins led her to the front door and opened the door. Mai felt tears come to her eyes as the living room glowed, all the dust and cobwebs were removed, furniture polished to a bright sheen, windows sparkled as sunlight streamed through, and the floors were immaculate.

"It's beautiful," she whispered as she wiped a tear from her eye.

They turned a corner and found the room filled with her friends from school and now her new friends plus an older couple standing to one side.

"Happy Birthday," they chorused throughout the room. Gene grabbed both Oliver and Mai and pulled them over to the older couple.

"Mai I'd like to introduce you to our parents," the older twin spoke as Mai bowed to them. "Mom and dad I'd like to introduce you to Mai Taniyama, the daughter of the world-renowned Weapon maker and the girl who Oliver is now dating."

Mai's face turned a bright shade of red as she glared at Gene, and Oliver gave him a smack on the back of the head.

The End


End file.
